contacting your legislator - cigar rights3002-3d-usa-flag-map-powerpoint-template-10298.pptx author...
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CONTACTINGYOURLEGISLATORTakeAc3onNowandGetInvolved
www.cigarrights.org
TopTipsForLeCngYourVoiceBeHeard
• Iden%fyYourself– Letthemknowyournameandwhereyoulive.
• BeHonestandOpen– Maintaincredibilitywithlegislatorsbybeingsincere.
• BeRespecBul– Speakcourteouslyandavoidbeingconfronta%onal.
WhyIt’sImportantLegislatorsareelectedtoservetheircons%tuents’interests,andtheyneedtohearfromyou.By
contac%ngthem,youwillholdthemaccountablefortheirposi%onsandletthemknowtheywon’tgetyour
voteiftheyaren’trepresen%ngyourinterests.
MAKINGAPHONECALL&WRITINGALETTER
• Stateyourpurposeforcalling– Iden%fywhyyouarecallingandasktospeaktothelegislatororanaidethathandlesthatissue.
• Leaveamessage– Telltheaideyouwouldliketoleaveabriefmessageandrepeatyourposi%onontheissueorlegisla%oninyourmessage.
• Requestaresponse– Leaveyounameandaddresssothatyourlegislatorcanrespondtoyou.
• Bepersistent,butrespecBul– Considersendingafollow-upnotetothelegislatororstaffmemberwithwhomyouspoke,emphasizingyourposi%onandyourapprecia%onforhis/heraNen%ontothemaNer.
• KeepyourleNershortandtothepoint– AddressonlyoneissueinyourleNerore-mailandtrytokeepyourleNertoonepage.
• GettheiraNen%on– Stateyourpurposeforwri%nginthefirstparagraph.IfyourleNerisaboutaspecificpieceoflegisla%on,iden%fyitbythebillnumberorthecommonnameforthelegisla%on.
• Makeitpersonal– Describehowtheissueaffectsyoupersonallyandincludefacts.DoingsowillmakeyourleNerstronger.
• Askwheretheystand– Arequestforaresponsefromyourlegislatorunderscoresyourongoinginterestintheissue.
• Requestaresponse– Includedyournameandcompleteaddress,eveninyoure-mail,soyourlegislatorcanrespond.
SAMPLELETTERYourLegislator’sName(seechart)YourLegislator’sStreetAddressYourLegislator’sCity,State,ZipDear(insertTitle,usingchartforguidance):Iamwri%ngto(insertsupportoroppose)theproposalto(insertissue).Thisproposedlegisla%onwould(insertinforma%ononwhyyousupportoropposethemeasure.RemembertobecourteousandrespecBul,notconfronta%onal.Describehowtheissueaffectsyouand,wheneverpossible,includedfactsandexamplestosupportyourposi%on.Personalexperiencecanstrengthenyourposi%onontheissueandencouragethelegislatortolistenmorecloselytoyourposi%on.)Iurgeyouto(insertopposeorsupport)thismeasure,andtoletmeknowhowyouplantovoteonit.Sincerely,(insertyoursignature)YourFirstandLastName